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Safe Families: Helping parents facing crisis

When parents encounter difficulties caring for themselves or their children, you can help by providing support for their family as they take essential steps toward stability.

Safe Families: Helping parents facing crisis

When parents encounter difficulties caring for themselves or their children, you can help by providing support for their family as they take essential steps toward stability.

Be someone’s extended family

What would you do if you had a crisis in your family? Who would care for your kids? Maybe your mom or sister or trusted friend. But too many families don’t have this network of support—so when parents are vulnerable, their kids are too.

FAQs about Safe Families

What issues are families facing?

Some families face crises like unemployment, homelessness, or deep financial stress. In other cases, parents need time to recover from substance use or mental health challenges.

What ages of children does Safe Families serve?

While we can care for newborns through adolescents (0-17), the average age is 4-6 years old.

How old do I need to be to volunteer?

We generally require volunteers to be 25 years or older, but exceptions can be made.

How can I become a volunteer?

First, fill out our contact form. We’ll connect you to a Safe Families coordinator in your area who will help you identify the best-fitting role for you or your family. You’ll complete an application, take part in an interview and home assessment, and submit references and information for a background check. You’ll then participate in online training.

What’s the length of my commitment if I choose to be a Host Family?

The average stay for a child in your home is about 30 days. However, we hope that you and the family you’re supporting will form a lasting relationship.

How can my church support Safe Families?

There are many ways your church can get involved. A few ideas are to:

  • Provide gift cards to grocery, clothing, and home goods stores or for public transportation such as bus passes or Uber/Lyft gift cards.
  • Make and distribute meals to Host Families when they host a child.
  • Create and manage a clothing and supply closet at your location. Host a drive for requested items such as various sizes of clothing, coats, diapers, baby items, etc.
  • Offer professional expertise and donations of services such as dental, medical, budgeting, resume writing and interview skill building, or legal services.
  • Transport adult clients to appointments after approval as a Family Friend.
  • Help as an office assistant by answering the phone, doing data entry, etc.
Safe Families for Children logo - 2 hands around a child

Strengthen and keep families together

When a family is facing crisis, kids can become vulnerable to neglect and abuse. No family should experience this.

Many parents rely on relatives and friends for support. But for some, this is not enough—or even an option.

That’s where Safe Families—and volunteers like you—come in. You can be part of a supportive community for parents as they strive to overcome poverty, homelessness, health issues, job loss, or other obstacles.

Stories of lives impacted by Safe Families

Become a volunteer

Help families in your community by

  • Providing transportation
  • Offering a meal
  • Caring for children
  • Becoming a Host Family
  • Dropping off diapers or resources

Learn more about how you can make an impact today.

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